Glass bending mold with replaceable sections



March 6, 1962 H. LAINE ETAL GLASS BENDING MOLD WITH REPLACEABLE SECTIONSFiled April 9, 1958 INVENTORS Jz'e Kai 22 and A TTORNE YS hired erases.Patent 3,023,543 GLASS BENDENG MGLD WITH REPLACEABLE SECTIONS Leslie H.Laine and Floyd T. Hagedorn, Perrysburg,

Ghio, assignors to Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Company,

Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 9, 1%58, Ser. No. 727,3854 Claims. (Cl. 49-67) This invention relates generally to the bending orshaping of glass sheets or plates to a desired configuration, and moreparticularly to an improved bending mold for bending glass sheets.

Before the sections of the multiple section bending molds are assembled,the shaping rails are ground to the exact contour to which the glasssheet is to be bent and in the areas of the abutting ends of thesections adjacent the hinges the rails are ground and matched so thatthere is a substantially continuous, smooth glass shaping surface. Afterthe bending molds are placed in use for bending glass sheets, it isoften-times necessary to replace one or more of the sections thereofbecause the upper surface of the shaping rails which contact the glasssheet become worn with continued use. Thus it is desirable that theshaping surfaces of the bending mold be readily adjustable to facilitateboth the initial assembly and the replacement of worn sections.

It is therefore, the object of the present invention to provide animproved bending mold which is easily assembled and which has readilyadjustable shaping surfaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple section bendingmold in which individual sections may be easily replaced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple section hingetype bending mold in which sections of the shaping rail may be installedor replaced without grinding to blend at the hinge joints.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentduring the course of the following description, when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the improved mold and frame;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the mold and frame of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevation with parts in section of the improvedhinge structure as viewed from the center of the mold;

P16. 4 is a section of the hinge construction taken on the line 4-4 ofFIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is another section of the hinge construction taken on the line5-5 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, thenumeral refers to a mold supporting frame which is comprised of a pairof longitudinally extending base members 11 held in substantiallyparallel, spaced relationship by a pair of spaced transverse skids orrails 12. The rails 12 also serve to guide the rack as it moves along aconveyor (not shown) through a bending furnace. Four verticallyextending hanger posts 13 are secured to the base members 11 near thelongitudinal extremities thereof.

A mold generally indicated by the numeral 14 is carried by the hangerposts 13 and includes a center section 15 which is comprised of a pairof substantially parallel 3,@Z3,543 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 relativelylong spaced shaping rails 16 bent to a relatively long radius. Shapingrails 16 are held in spaced relationship by cross rods 17 secured to theinwardly facing surfaces of the inverted T sections which form theshaping rails.

The center section 15 is movably connected to oppositely disposedaligned rectangular end sections 18 each of which comprises shapingrails 19 which are also formed by inverted T sections. End sectionshaping rails 19 are bent sharply upward from the point of juncturebetween the center section 15 and the end sections 18 as viewed inFIG. 1. The top edge of the shaping rails 16 and 19 join in their closedposition to form a continuous substantially uninterrupted shapingsurface A. The end section shaping rails 19 are reinforced by cross rods20 which are mounted in the same manner as center section cross rods 17.

To support the mold end sections, pairs of depending arms 21 are weldedor fastened by other means to the outwardly facing surface of each endsection shaping rail 19 on opposite sides thereof about midway betweenthe ends. Each arm 21 carries a pin 22 at its lower extremity whichpivotally engages the lower end of a link 23, which, in turn, is pivotedat its upper end about a pin 24 extending through a corner post 13 nearthe upper extremity thereof. Hinges 25 join the center section 15 withthe end sections 18.

According to the present invention, the hinges 25 are mounted on themold by means of new and novel structure which facilitates easy assemblyand disassembly of the mold and which permits individual mold sectionsto be easily replaced. As shown in B of FIGS. 3 and 4 the center rails16 are notched at the bottom corners on both ends, leaving the top orshaping surface intact. To provide support for the hinge 25 a rail plate26 is tack welded as at 27 to overlie a portion of the notch B on theinwardly facing surface of the shaping rail 16. In order that the hinge25 may retain the shaping rails in proper alignment the rail plate 26 issubstantially parallel to the shaping rail 16. The outermost edge of therail plate 26 lies inwardly of the outermost end of both the notched outportion B and the shaping rail 16 in order to prevent the mold frombinding during closure. An integrally formed leg portion 28 extendsdownwardly from the rail plate 26 and an aperture 29 extends through therail plate 26 at a point directly above the leg 28.

As will be later described, to prevent lateral movement of the assembledhinge, a generally L shaped lug 30 is secured to the outwardly facingsurface of the rail plate 26 parallel to the shaping surface of thecenter section shaping rail 16. The lug 30 terminates in thelongitudinal direction a short distance from the edge of the rail plate26 which lies adjacent the outermost end of the rail 16, while theopening between the L shaped lug 30 and the rail plate 26 provides avertical slot 31 adjacent and extending parallel to the outwardly facingsurface of the rail plate 26 directly beneath the center section shapingrail.

The hinge 25 includes a clevis portion 32 comprising a verticallyextending rib 33 disposed at right angles to the adjacent end railsection and parallel spaced bifurcations 34 and 35 secured thereto whichextend toward the transverse center line of the mold 14 at right anglesto the rib 33. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bifurcations 34 and 35contain aligned apertures 36 at the lower innermost corners.

The lower innermost corners of the end section shaping rails 19 arenotched at C to receive the rib section 33 of the clevis portion 32which is tack welded to the end rails at 37 in abutting relation withthe notched portion C. The bifurcations 34 and 35 are each positionedwithin the notched portion C and are spaced equidistant from the planeof each end shaping rail 19.

The hinge 25 also includes an eye portion 38 that is provided with anaperture 39 which when aligned with the apertures 36 in the clevisportion 32 is pivotally joined to the clevis portion 32 by a hinge pin40. Lateral movement of the hinge pin 40 in the aligned apertures isprevented by a washer 41 mounted opposite the head end of the hinge pin40 and secured by a cotter key 42. To limit the closing motion of themold 14 a stop member in the form of a projection 43 is provided nearthe top of the eye portion 38 and is adapted to contact the rib $3 ofthe clevis portion 32.

Attached to the eye portion 38 is a hinge plate 44 tack welded theretoat several points indicated by the numeral 45. The hinge plate 44carries a pivot pin 46 substantially in the center thereof adapted toextend through the aperture 29 in the rail plate 26 to permit the hingeplate to pivot thereabout. The hinge plate 44 extends upward and isreceived in the vertical slot 31 where it is confined in final assemblyagainst lateral movement to prevent disengagement of the pivot pin 46from the aperture 29. Locator pins 47 and 48 are carried by the hingeplate 44 below the pivot pin 46 and as seen in FIGS. 3 and these locatorpins 47 and 48 project inwardly from hinge plate 44 parallel to thepivot pin 46.

Due to the fact that there are several variable factors involved,including manufacturing tolerances and wear, which might result inmisalignment of the shaping surfaces of the shaping rails 16 and 19during installation or replacement as shown by dashed lines at D and Ein FIG. 3, it has been found desirable in some instances to providemeans for angular adjustment of the rail plate 26 relative to the hingeplate 44. Such adjustment is accomplished by means of triangular wedges49 and 50 placed between the leg portion 28 and the locator pins 47 and48. By properly locating the wedges it is possible to align the shapingsurfaces of the center shaping rail 16 and the end shaping rail 19. Forexample, if the rail 16 is in the D position, wedge 49 is withdrawn partway from between the leg 28 and the locator pin 47 allowing the rail 16and rail plate 26 to pivot around the pivot pin 46 until the top surfaceof rail 16 is aligned with the top surface of rail 19. Wedge 50 isadvanced farther into the widened space between the leg 28 and thelocator pin 48 to hold the alignment, and both Wedges are rigidlysecured to the hinge plate 44 by any suitable means such as tack welds'51. If the rail 16 is in the E position of FIG. 3 the wedge 50 iswithdrawn and wedge 49 is advanced. 'The adjustment is made at all fourcorners, if required.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention disclosed hereinis to be taken as the preferred embodiment thereof, and that variouschanges in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thefollowing claims.

We claim:

1. In apparatus for bending glass sheets, a mold comprising a pluralityof sections including an end section and an intermediate section havingshaping surfaces formed thereon, said mold sections adapted to moverelative to each other to a position wherein said shaping surfaces forma continuous surface defining the configuration to which the glass sheetis to be bent, hinge means mounting said end section for rotativemovement to said position, and adjusting means connecting said hingemeans with said intermediate section, said adjusting means comprising afirst member rigidly secured to said intermediate section and a secondmember rigidly secured to said hinge means, and means pivotallyconnecting said first member and .said second member to permit saidfirst member to rotate relative to said second member thereby changingthe relative position of the shaping surface of said intermediatesection and said end section.

2. Apparatus for selectively connecting and disconnecting adjacentsections of a glass bending mold and aligning the glass engaging shapingsurfaces formed on said sections, comprising a hinge having two hingemembers pivotally joined together with one of said members secured tothe end of one of said sections, a plate secured to the other of saidhinge members and extending toward the end of anladjacent section ofsaid bending mold, a second plate secured to the end of said adjacentsection and overlapping said first member, means pivotally connectingsaid first and second members for movement with respect to each otherabout a fixed axis thereby to shift the glass engaging surfaces formedon said sections relative to each other, and locating means formed onsaid first plate and said second plate, and adjustable clamping meansacting between said locating means on said first plate and said secondplate to prevent relative rotation between said first and second plate.

3. In apparatus for bending glass sheets, a mold comprising a pluralityof mold sections including an end section and an intermediate sectionhaving shaping surfaces formed thereon, said mold sections adapted tomove relative to each other between an open, sheet receiving positionand a closed position wherein said shaping surface forms a continuoussurface defining the configuration to which the glass sheet is to bebent, a hinge having a clevis portion secured to said end section and aneye portion, a hinge pin pivotally connecting said eye portion and saidclevis portion, adjustment means connect- .ing said intermediate sectionto said eye portion whereby said end sections swing about said hinge pinas an axis between said open and closed positions, said adjustment meanscomprising a first member secured to said eye portion and projectingtoward said intermediate section, spaced apart pins secured at one endto said first member and projecting laterally outwardly therefrom, asecond member rigidly secured to said intermediate section, a pivot pinjoining said first and second members and extending parallel to saidhinge pin whereby said first and second members rotate about said pivotpin as an axis to alter the relative positions of said shaping surfaceson said mold sections, a leg portion integral with said second memberand disposed between said pins on said first member, and wedges actingbetween said pins and the opposite sides of said leg portion thereby toclamp said second member in a preselected position relative to the firstmember to prevent relative rotation between said first and secondmembers.

4. In apparatus for bending glass sheets, a mold comprising a pluralityof sections disposed end to end and having shaping surfaces formedthereon, said mold sections adapted to move relative to each otherbetween an open, sheet receiving position and a closed position whereinsaid shaping surfaces form a continuous surface defining theconfiguration to which the glass sheet is to be bent, a hinge comprisinga clevis portion secured to one of said mold sections and an eyeportion, a hinge pin pivotally connecting said clevis portion and saideye portion for rotation relative to each other about said pin as anaxis, adjusting means connecting said eye portion with the other of saidmold sections, said adjusting means comprising a hinge plate disposed ina plane parallel to said mold sections and secured to said eye portion,pins formed on said hinge plate to project laterally outwardlytherefrom, a rail plate rigid with said other mold section and having aleg portion formed thereon and extending between said pins, meanspivotally connecting said hinge plate and said rail plate, andadjustable means acting between said pins on said hinge plate and saidleg portion and operable to swing said rail plate relative to said hingeplate about said pivot means thereby to alter the relative positions ofsaid shaping surfaces to insure the con- References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hoyt Dec. 8, 1903 Hem Feb. 20, 1923 6Hurt Oct. 15, 1929 Mafera July 12, 1938 Mafera Feb. 21, 1939 Smith Aug.15, 1950 Black Feb. 28, 1956 Jendrisak Mar. 13, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTSGreat Britain Oct. 16, 1957

